Abdominal supporter



April 22 1924.

E; POOLE ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER Filed Feb. 15. 1921 5/. 35 gwuenfoz Patented Apr. 22, N24.

nuznnm Pool-in, or RICHMOND, vrnerniaf annoramer. surronrnn.

Application filed February 15, 1921. am No. 445,214.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EUZELIA Poonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmend, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Abdominal Supporter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to abdominal sup porters and the main object thereof is to provide a simple and 'efficientdevice of this character which may be used either in maternity cases or by persons having abnormally large or fleshy abdomens.

Another object is to so construct such a supporter that it may be satisfactorily adjusted to fit the figure of the user and when so adjusted will retain its position.

Another object is to' so construct such a supporter that it will be longitudinally yieldable at its top or upper portion and substantially unyieldable at its bottom or lower edge except at its front or back so that it will comfortably support the weight of the abdomen.

Another object is to provide simple and comfortable means for holding the supporter against upward riding.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure '1 represents a front elevation ofthis improved supporter shown applied.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. A

Fig. 3 is a view of the supporter spread mat in open position viewed from the. out S1 e.

Fig. 4 is a similar view viewed from the inside, parts being broken out, and, r

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment illustrated, the nu- Inerals 1 and 2, respectively, designate the left hand front section and the right hand front section of a supporter, on the outer vertical edge portion of each of which sections is inserted a reinforcing strip or stay as 3 and 4:, respectively, of well known form which stays are provided with hooks 5 and eyes 6 whereby said vertical edge portions of said sections may be releasably and closely united in a well known manner.

These front sections 1 and 2 are constructdescribed in detail.

elastic woven fabric, the lower edge of which is curved inwardly and reinforced by a binding 9. This binding 9 merges at its front end into the casings 8 or 4 as the case may be and at its rear end merges into a similar casing 10 arranged on the inner or rear vertical edge portion of the front section and which is provided with eyelets 11 to provide for its connection with the adjacent rear section presently to be described.

A'strip of rubber tubing 12 is fixedly secured atone end to the front lower edge of the front sectionand carries at its other end a tape or non-elastic strip of webbing 13 secured by any suitable means to the rubber strip 12 a clip 14 being here shown for this purpose. This tape or strip 13 has a hook 15 adjustably mounted thereon by a sliding buckle 16 and is designed to detachably en gage a cooperating element 17 carried by the adjacent back section as will be presently described. 7 Y

The. front sections 1 and 2 are separately united by lacing strings 18 and 19, respectively, to the adjacent vertical edge portions of two back or rear sections "20 and 21, re-' spectively, which are interposed between said sections 1 and 2, the other'vertical-edge portions of said rear sections being connected togetherby a strip of elastic webbing 23 which terminates near'the'ir upper ends, the portion above said webbing being connected adjustably by a lacing string 24:. It will thus be seenthat the two rear sections are yieldably connected longitudinally at their lower edge, and throughout the greater portion of the body thereof but are held against longitudinal movement at their upper portion by the lacing string 24: which. however may be adjusted to adapt the device to fit figures of different sizes.

"These rear sections 20 and 21 are rein-v forced along their upper edges by a binding strip 25 and similarly reinforced at their lower edges by strips 26 and each has av pocket or housing 27 extending from one edge to the other midway its ends as is shown clearly in Figs. 3 and t, said pocket being formed by applying an additional layer of non-yieldable woven fabric 28 on the inner face of the section as is shown clearly in Fig. 4:. Bone receiving casings 29are formed at the opposite side edges of each pocket and receive stifiening members 30, preferably constructed or" whale bone althoughthey maybe made of any other suitable material. Similar stifieners 31 are located in'casings at the opposite side edges of the webbing strip 23 at the back of the supporter which extend entirely to the top of each section. only ones employed throughout the structure of the supporter.

' to the supporter as is shown clearly in Fig.3.

In the use of this improved supporter the sections having been connected as shown in the drawings and adjusted by means of the lacings to fit the figure of the user the tubular rubber straps 12 are passed around the legs from the rear toward the front and detachably connected with the yieldable loops 17 and the cooperating fasteners 5 and 6 engaged as shown in Fig. 1. If any further adjustments are needed after the device has been placed on the body of the user they may be made by means of the lacings connecting the front with the rear sections and when so positioned will comfortably support the weight of the abdomen, the supporter being substantiallyunyieldable for the major portion of its length circumferentially around its lower edge and yieldable circumferentially at the upper portion thereof to adapt it to conform to the figure of the user, and to yieldably but firmly support the organs.

lhe preferred embodiment of the inven- These stili eners being the.

said sections releasably united and each formed with a body portion of elastic webbing positioned to be longitudinally yield-' able and transversely unyieldable, a triangular member of non-elastic woven fabric stitched thereto with the lower edge curved inwardly and reinforced, said front sections being separately united by lacing at the adjacent vertical edges of the two back or rear sections with portions of the other vertical I edges of the rear sections connected by elastic webbing, and the portions above said webbing being adjustably connected together, whereby the two rear sections are yieldably connected together longitudinally. at their lower edges and throughout the greater por tion ofthe body thereof but are held against longitudinal movement at their upper edges.

2. A supporter of the class described comprising separably and adjustably'connected front and rear sectlons, the rear sections having their lower portions elastically connected and their upper portions non-elastically but adjustably connected, said rear extended through said eyelets on the outer face of said supporter, and elastic straps connected at one end to the front portions of said front sections, and having means at their other ends for detachableengagement with said loops.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

EUZELIA POOLE. 

